UConn receiver Kamal Abrams finds peace on field after death of friend

UConn wide receiver Kamal Abrams has fought through adversity after the passing of a close friend.
michael dwyer — the associated press file photo

STORRS >> A year ago, as Kamal Abrams went through routine drills minutes before the UConn football team squared off with Towson, he thought he had hit rock bottom when one of his knees buckled.

The months of hard work were reduced to a long, painful walk to the locker room at Rentschler Field. Not knowing whether his season was over before it even started, Abrams wondered if things could get worse.

Sadly, less than a year later later came a devastating phone call that made a little thing like a knee injury seem inconsequential.

The redshirt junior receiver from Dover, Delaware, received news that Rashaad Lewis, one of his closest friends, was fighting for his life after being stabbed during an altercation in Dover on July 23.

“We grew up together, he was a close friend of mine, my dad knew his dad, and when I was home, we always hung out,” said Abrams, who left UConn’s preseason camp with the full blessing of coach Bob Diaco. “I’ve always had a close spot in my heart for him, so when he passed it really hit me.

“It was a reality check, but for the most (part) being around family is always a good thing. It kept my spirits high and I am pretty sure I kept their spirits high. The only thing I can do is pray for him and let his family know that he will always hold a special spot in my heart. I lost grandparents, but somebody so close to my age and somebody I would see when I was home, it was really devastating. To this day I still can’t believe that he passed.”

When he returned to campus, a grief-stricken Abrams was ready to return to the football field.

“I was most definitely ready to come back,” Abrams said. “I couldn’t just give up because of the fight he had for his life, I admired that and it still sticks with me to this day. I have to continue to fight for my goals and dreams, live through him, not take anything for granted and cherish these moments with my teammates in my college career. I only have two seasons left, so I am going to try to make the most of everything I can.”

When Abrams took to the field for Friday’s season-opening loss to Brigham Young, he wrote the name of his late friend on the white tape on his wrist.

“If something goes wrong, I drop a ball, I come to the sideline and look at my wrist tape,” Abrams said.

Abrams didn’t have too many issues with dropping balls in the 35-10 loss to BYU. He had one of the most impressive catches in the game for the Huskies.

UConn was trailing 28-7 and faced a 3rd-and-12 from its own 18. Abrams aggressively elevated to snare quarterback Casey Cochran’s pass, ripping the ball away from BYU defensive back Skye Povey for a 24-yard gain.

“It felt great,” Abrams said. “I was taking the mindset of going in there and coming up with it somehow. It was a great play by Casey.”

The reception was the longest of Abrams’ career.

His teammates were delighted to see Abrams fight through the adversity. They still vividly recall the way Abrams rebounded from that knee injury — something that might have sidelined another player for the season — to record the first of his four catches last season just a month and a half later.

“That’s got to be tough,” UConn senior quarterback Chandler Whitmer said. “I know he was pretty upset, but credit to him, he came back. He worked hard and knew he had another opportunity this year to go out and make plays. He did that throughout camp, and he did that in the game, and I think he will do that and continue to get better.”

Extra Points

Diaco said offensive tackle Andreas Knappe, who missed the BYU game with a lower-leg injury, is doing better and the staff will increase his workload this week with the hopes he can play on Saturday against Stony Brook.

Diaco also said he’d like to increase the workload of freshman Arkeel Newsome of Ansonia.

“Arkeel played 10 plays, some plays go in as runs and change while they are in the course of the play, but Arkeel showed everything we were talking about a few weeks ago,” Diaco said. “He’s got a burst, he hits everything at full speed. He is an impressive back, he needs to get the ball more and he will.”